Allusions to Classics of Chinese Philosophy in the Speeches of Xi Jinping: Functions, Features, Interpretations

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the problem of detection and interpretation of allu­sions to the Chinese philosophical classics in the speeches of PRC President Xi Jinping. Despite the significant semantic richness and specific linguistic appear­ance of allusions, the official translations of the Chinese leader’s speeches into Russian are extremely inaccurate in both form and matter. The paper presents an analysis of allusions to the philosophical classics written in wenyan found in the speeches of Xi Jinping in the period from October 1, 2022 to October 1, 2023: it describes the methodology for identifying the objects of allusions, car­ries out its interpretation in the contemporary context, highlights the key features of this phenomenon, as well as the reasons for the use of such a specific tool in political discourse. As a result of the research, it was concluded that allusions are being used as a convenient form of expressing ideas both for Chinese and non-Chinese audiences, but with intention to make these ideas fully perceivable only by the first in order to avoid a negative reaction from the second. In addi­tion, the analysis of speeches shows higher frequency of references to the legalist treatise “Guanzi”, Tang emperor Li Shimin and the philosophical category “order­liness” (zhi) by Xi Jinping, as well as clear signs of weak hierarchical inclusivism (according to Stanislav Yu. Rykov) in the choice of the sources for allusions